


Lightning

by Burgie



Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: F/F, Miqo'te WoL, blm WoL, female WoL
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-22
Updated: 2020-04-22
Packaged: 2021-03-01 18:41:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,407
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23781787
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Burgie/pseuds/Burgie
Summary: Veronyka finally succeeds in getting Minfilia out of her pit of grief.
Relationships: Minfilia Warde/Warrior of Light
Kudos: 11





	Lightning

It had been days since Moenbryda had fallen in battle against the Ascians. Days in which the sun had seemed to never be able to pierce through the ever-present gloom of Mor Dhona. And not just metaphorically- the Skywatchers were beginning to wonder if there would ever be a clear day in Mor Dhona again. Or if perhaps there was something wrong with the aether. Privately, Minfilia wondered if perhaps the land itself were mourning Moenbryda. Certainly, Urianger had been quieter than usual, never leaving his post at the Waking Sands. He hadn’t been to the Stones in so long.

Not that Minfilia was much better, of course. Just as the sun had not been able to breach the purple gloom, nor had she been able to step outside of the Solar for longer than it took to tend to bodily needs. And she knew that others were worried about her. Knew, too, that it was perhaps having a negative impact on her relationships. But the fight against the Ascians was more important, more personal now that it ever had been before. To stop for one moment was to allow them a chance to gain an upper hand, to win. True, there hadn’t been an unexpected Ascian visit since Nabriales had been soundly defeated, but it was only a matter of time. Minfilia could feel this deep in her bones.

Not that Minfilia had not mourned- no, she had ventured outside of the Solar only once, to attend the memorial service. It had been a somber moment, truly, yet it all seemed as a blur now. Minfilia could only vaguely remember the feelings, the need to be somewhere else, the feeling of her girlfriend pressed so closely to her side. The tears had only come a few nights later, as she’d joined a huddle of miqo’te and chocobo limbs with Veronyka and Stormy by the fire, finally letting loose the grief that she hadn’t dared show to anyone else other than her mother. The unfairness of it all. How the world took and took, and never seemed to give much back in return. Though truthfully, beneath all of that, there was fear- if someone so strong, so self-assured, as Moenbryda could be struck down… what chance did any of them have, really? Even one who could call forth a fraction of the calamity.

So perhaps Minfilia shouldn’t have been so surprised when the door to the Solar was flung open and her girlfriend half skipped over to her desk, determination sparking in her gaze. It half reminded Minfilia of herself, honestly, when she didn’t feel so gripped by grief.

“Minfilia,” said Veronyka, her tail whipping back and forth behind her, ears perked up. “It’s sunny outside.” Minfilia looked up from her paperwork, blinking tired eyes at her girlfriend.

“Sunny?” Minfilia repeated, as if she’d forgotten what the word meant. Certainly, she’d half-forgotten what it looked like.

“Mm-hm,” Veronyka hummed in affirmation, nodding. And certainly, she had done away with her gloves for the day, even her trousers were looser than usual. Gone were the thicker black mage trousers that she’d worn so often of late, or the thick stockings when she wanted more movement.

“I hope that makes your adventures easy today,” said Minfilia. Veronyka frowned at her, and Minfilia recognized the spark of annoyance in her eyes. Recognised, and… felt guilt tug at her heart at putting that there. Veronyka deserved better than someone like her.

“Well, you’ll find out,” said Veronyka, moving around the desk and grabbing Minfilia’s wrist, tugging on it. “Come on, get up.”

“Veronyka, please, I’m busy,” said Minfilia, frowning and tugging her arm back to herself. Veronyka glared at her.

“You can’t get any work done like this,” said Veronyka. “It’s like F’lhaminn says, you can’t get anything done when you’re this deep in despair.”

“We owe it to Moenbryda to try,” said Minfilia. Veronyka’s ears flattened, another fresh wave of grief slapping her face.

“She wouldn’t want you to do this,” said Veronyka. “Not- avoiding your feelings, because she would’ve done that too. But she wouldn’t want you to bury yourself in your work, in grief. She’d want you to enjoy life.”

“She’d want to be alive,” said Minfilia, her voice still raw with grief. Veronyka closed her eyes, bowing her head.

“I know,” said Veronyka. “But if she were here right now, what would she say?” Minfilia sighed, her heart aching as her friend’s words came back to her.

“Too nice a day to be stuck inside,” said Minfilia, bringing a hand up to brush tears away. “Many a time, she’d take her work outside and work on it in the sun. Her and Yda both.”

“Did you ever join them?” Veronyka asked. Minfilia gave a wan smile, light just barely reaching it.

“Quite often, in fact,” said Minfilia. “And before you ask, yes, it helped. Thancred said that sunlight was a natural antidepressant. Of course, he did say that after he was caught skinny dipping in the lake, but he did make a good point.” Veronyka was startled into a snort of laughter, though the light returning to Minfilia’s face did her a world of good.

“Then I think it’ll help now, whether you’re stuck on a problem or stuck in your grief,” said Veronyka. “Come on, just give it a try. Please? If not for me, for Moenbryda.”

“Perhaps we can even visit her memorial,” said Minfilia. Veronyka wrinkled her nose up.

“Um, maybe not today,” said Veronyka. “When the sun hits the swamp water in the Tangle just right, it’s as if all of the morbols released their breath at once.”

“Oh,” said Minfilia, leaning back in revulsion. “Then perhaps she will understand.”

“I’m sure she would,” said Veronyka. “However, we could go to the other side of Mor Dhona.”

“We can’t cross the lake,” said Minfilia. “Even if there were vessels that we could use to cross the water, I dare not risk the dangers that may yet lurk beneath the lake. Besides, as alluring as the idea of uncharted territory is, I think that may be a little too dangerous of a distraction.”

“I wasn’t talking about that other side, though now that you mention it…” Veronyka trailed off, shaking her head. “Sorry, got distracted. I was talking about the more crystalline side of Mor Dhona, over near where the Sons of Saint Coinach have set up.”

“Oh?” said Minfilia. “What’s over there?”

“Lots of crystals and monsters,” said Veronyka. “I’d love to take you to the Crystal Tower, but Cid’s still doing research on that. Besides, taking you into a place crawling with monsters isn’t my intention.”

“And yet, you’re taking me to the Singing Shards, which I’m told is crawling with monsters,” said Minfilia. “By your own admission, I might add.”

“Oh, I can handle those ones,” said Veronyka with a wave of her hand. “But the ones in the Crystal Tower are entirely different, apparently.”

“I’ll trust your word on it,” said Minfilia. She pushed her chair back, Veronyka grinning as she stepped back to allow Minfilia to rise to her feet. Minfilia leaned back, cracking the small of her back. “It will be good, I suppose, to get out. Get some fresh air. Clear my head.”

“Yes, exactly,” said Veronyka, nodding. “It’s always helped me before.”

“Is that your excuse for half freezing to death in Coerthas the other day?” Minfilia asked. Veronyka laughed.

“No! Okay, maybe,” said Veronyka. Minfilia laughed, her first laugh in days. “But don’t worry, the worst thing that could happen is we might get a bit… singed.”

“I trust you to protect me,” said Minfilia. At that, Veronyka straightened up, a new light entering her eyes.

“I will do everything in my power to protect you, my lady,” said Veronyka, bowing as Minfilia smiled at her. Veronyka took Minfilia’s hand in her own and kissed the back of it, Minfilia’s cheeks pinkening in a blush.

“I feel safe with you,” said Minfilia. And it did feel good, to leave her work behind her, to finally leave her Solar. The room beyond was rather sparse, everyone busy with their own things, Alphinaud busy with the Crystal Braves and the other Scions out on other missions. F’lhaminn was there, though, giving her daughter and Veronyka a proud and knowing smile, her eyes crinkling up at the corners.

“You managed to get her out of there? I’m impressed,” said F’lhaminn. Minfilia shook her head, smiling.

“Were you behind this too?” Minfilia asked. F’lhaminn stepped back, raising her hands.

“Not this time,” said F’lhaminn. “This was entirely Veronyka’s idea, I can assure you. Though, she did have to consult me on if you would need any liquid persuasion.”

“She said no, by the way,” said Veronyka. “Which sucks because I wanted some of that good wine.”

“Perhaps some wine would be a nice conclusion to our date,” said Minfilia. “By the fire, in fact.”

“I’ll leave wine and some glasses by the fire upon your return,” said F’lhaminn. “The Doman children do so enjoy being my eyes and ears.”

“Your little spies?” Minfilia asked. F’lhaminn giggled, closing her eyes.

“Indeed,” said F’lhaminn. “They love it, truly.”

“Corrupting the youth,” said Minfilia with a playful sigh. F’lhaminn only laughed, shooing them out the door and into the bar proper.

“And before you ask, no, Zelda said that we can’t borrow her car,” said Veronyka as they set foot into the oddly-sunny plaza. It looked much different to how it had when they’d first set up here, now being a bustling hub rather than the shantytown that it had once been.

“That is a pity,” said Minfilia. “But it will be good to stretch our legs, will it not?”

“Indeed it will be,” said Veronyka, grinning. Though she looked down at her heeled boots, Minfilia giggling.

Even in Revenant’s Toll, there was a slight stink of the Tangle wafting over, though the stench, mercifully, disappeared once the two set foot out into the other side. Crystal formations rose up in the distance, crawling with scalekin. Light gleamed off the hood of Zelda’s car, parked over near Saint Coinach’s find, and Veronyka just barely resisted the temptation to go and ask her again. But Minfilia’s hand linked with her own changed her mind.

“Do you remember when we first came here, when you suggested teaching me thaumaturgy?” Minfilia asked. Veronyka nodded. “Perhaps… I might be convinced, once all of this with the Ascians has settled down”. Veronyka squealed, turning to hug Minfilia tightly.

“That’s great! I might not be the best teacher, Jack says I’m too distractible, but I can definitely try,” said Veronyka, tail waving behind her, ears perked up, eyes shining. “But if you want some protection…” She rummaged in her robes, drawing out a thick, leather-bound tome. “You can borrow this. Just be careful of the carbuncle, he’s got a mind of his own.”

“Thank you,” said Minfilia, smiling as she took the book in her hands. Truthfully, she’d had no training with an arcanist’s grimoire, but she’d listen to Urianger enough to pick up some things. Once upon a time, she’d been a little girl, enamoured with all kinds of magic. Eager to gain more knowledge, by any means possible. She felt a little of that now, as she read the words and summoned a ruby carbuncle to run at her side.

“There are different carbuncles?” Veronyka asked, blinking at her. Minfilia laughed.

“Just how long did you practice arcanima before you gave it up?” Minfilia asked. “The emerald carbuncle excels in area of effect spells, drawing the ire of all creatures nearby, while the ruby carbuncle focuses on one target.”

“Ohh, that makes more sense,” said Veronyka. She blushed, her ears flicking down. “I gave it up because I got sick of the emerald carbuncle.” Minfilia stroked her hand over Veronyka’s head before leaning down to pet the ruby carbuncle. It chirped happily at her.

The two made their slow way down into the Singing Shards, able to fight off any foes that came their way with quick applications of arcanima and black magic. But, after defeating one large scaled foe in the middle of the Singing Shards, Minfilia reattached the grimoire to her belt and then froze upon looking at Veronyka. 

When first Veronyka had set foot into the Waking Sands, what felt like so long ago, Minfilia had been taken aback by the power that she could sense clinging to her, almost the touch of a god. Hydaelyn, Minfilia had thought back then, or the power of the Echo, the power that clung to all of them. But now… now, Minfilia had to wonder if it was more than that.

Veronyka had flung many lightning-aspected spells at her foes, wracking them with damage over time, but now, that power fairly brimmed in her, dancing along the crystalline shards surrounding them. Minfilia had thought that the static electricity in the air was from the shards alone, but fresh lightning danced along Veronyka’s form, her fur standing on end, light flickering in her eyes. Veronyka turned her hand back and forth, watching sparks of lightning dance across her skin, weaving around her fingers. Yet it did not seem to harm her.

“Does it… hurt?” Minfilia asked, concerned yet afraid to try touching her girlfriend. The last time that Veronyka had looked this full of power, she had been summoning a meteor to crash down upon the aetherial tear and bring them back to the present in the Chrysalis. She still remembered how Veronyka had collapsed after that battle, after bringing that huge amount of power to bear. But now, she looked… fine.

“No,” said Veronyka, smiling at the lightning jumping between her and the crystal. “This always happens in battle. Cocobuki, my first mentor back at the thaumaturges guild, said it’s called thundercloud. It makes your next thunder spell more powerful. Jack doesn’t seem to get it as often as me, though.”

“A gift from Ramuh, perhaps?” Minfilia asked. “Or Rhalgr?”

“Well, I’m definitely not tempered,” said Veronyka. “I’ve been checked.”

“If time permits, might we look into it?” Minfilia asked.

“I’d be okay with that,” said Veronyka. “But I just think it’s… cool.”

“It is,” said Minfilia, struck again by the power that spilled over from her girlfriend. Even if she still dare not touch her, lest she feel the wrath of all of that lightning.


End file.
